St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-02-26
A MONSTER OAK.

A MONSTER OAK.
The Historic Tree Takep Frsm the BeA -
the River Rhone In Fraace.
We were attracted by a placard IN.
nouncing that large oak was on exhi-
bition near the Place de Ia Concorde.
although the object Of our visit was not
to see large antediluvian oaks. The
advertisement was SO tempting. the
distance so short to reach the spot, and
the idea so novel, that we turned our
steps toward the Seine where this oak
was exhibited on boat especially built
for its reception and exhibition.
Whatever scientists may think OF it,
we will only undertake to describe it as
it appeared to US. The account of where
it was found is not the least curious
portion of its history. The bed Of the
Rhone. above the village Of Yenne is
very wide. but becomes very narrow.
not exceeding five hundred feet at the
foot of Fort Pere Chatel. Itappears that
after the freshets in the Rhone the
waters Of that river were unusually
low. At this point, imbedded deeply
in the sand. this giant tree was found.
A bargeman perceived . branch a
little above the surface OF the
water After several soundings he be-
came assured that this branch was at
tached to tree Of great length and size.
The level Of the Rhone being very
changeable, the difficulties and doubtful
success delayed the undertaking Of the
costly work for some time. The tree
was watched for ten long years. At last
. favorite time presented itself by the
unusual fall Of the waters Of the RhOne
and from a singular accident. In Sep
tember. 1888. in consequence Of the sli-
ding of the mountain Of Lillude. near
Bellegarde department of Ain. France)
which. it will be remembered. carried
away the Cologne tunnel on the Lyons
and Geneva line. the RhOne was divided
into two streams by this oak. This bar
to navigation would have proved q VIC
tim to dynamite If the engineers and
men of science had not interposed. By
the aid of $50 sturdy workmen the feat
of the removal was accomplished in $50
days. Twenty times the ropes and
windlasses gave way before the work
was finished. Finally. amidthe shouts
Of the peasantry. the huge tree was safely
landed on the 25th of March. 1884. Its
dimensions are: length. 1O2 feet; cir
cumference. % feet z inches; cube.
ll41O; weight, 12l.OOO pounds. One
limb which remains near the top is as
large as the largest oak of the French
forests. The top of this tree broken
off would probably have made the
full length of trunk 164 feet
The bark would have made .
great addition to the circumference.
This tree is undoubtedly the Quercus
Of the ancients. One can look at it
and imagine all sorts of romantic sights
which have passed before it, and. rs
tastes differ in this respect. Twill leave
your readers to their own lively imagi-
nation to cover this picture as they
choose. The scrubby trees twining
their roots about the rocks in the neigh
borhOod can claim no relationship t.
this huge monster.
1t is an oak. it must he remembered,
and as such its proportions are large.
although his cousins Of the Yosemite
valley could exhibit him as dwarf. The
proof seems indisputable that this tree
could not obtain its growth in less than
one thousand years, and whether and
how it resisted the flood for various
reasons l will omit to explain. The
Carolina oaks attain a height of ninety
feet. but are not so large as this
specimen. This oak is straight. and
branches Out at nearly height OF
ninety feet. The tree is firmly braced
in the center of an iron boat 125 inf
length and eighteen feet in width. and
admits of a convenient passage around
it and is covered and inclOsed, and can
thus traverse all the rivers and canals
of the continent. and could withstand
quite a heavy sea. This ingeniously
cOntrived boat has center-bOard which
preserves its equilibrium, and con-
trivance for lowering in the water, so
that it can pass underneath bridges.
The color of this oak, owing
tn he length Of time it has been
in the water. is black as ebony.
1t has not in the slightest degree
become carbonizcd; as is demon
strated by cutting into some Of the de-
tached branches. II it would not be
sacrilegious to destroy such natural
chef d '0xrre it would make splendid
furniture, and at such price as would
insure a small fortune. We can not
close this description without alluding
to contrivance that unfortunately at
tracted our attention, which on closer
inspection proved to be large brass
plate placed over knot-hole, followed
out about midway of the length of the
tree. bearing this inscription: DO not
forget the employees. We had already
paid for admission. but we dropped in
something. as we thought If the attend
ants were dependent upon their en-
ployers. instead of strangers, they would
be badly off.-Pdris Cor. Albany Argus.
A Sleeping Harness.